Native Forest Network

NFN is a global, autonomous collective of forest activists, indigenous peoples, conservation biologists, and non-governmental organizations.

Mission

To protect the Earth's remaining Native Forests, be they temperate, or otherwise, to ensure they can survive, flourish, and maintain their evolutionary potential.

Goals

• To ensure the maintenance of biodiversity and ecological integrity
• To recognize the rights of indigenous people and forest dwellers and to ensure that cultural values of ecosystems are identified and protected
• To ensure the maintenance of ecological productivity of natural and modified ecosystems for the benefit of all species, including humans

Definition of Native Forest

Forests are more than trees, they contain a community of species: fungi, flowers, insects, understory plants and a host of wildlife. They are reserves for biodiversity. Native forests contain indigenous species in varying degrees if sucession, and various states of health. Native forests should be self sustaining by maintaining biological diversity, ecosystem resiliency, and ecological processes. A plantation is not a native forest. Plantations or tree farms vary in their ability to regenerate native forest ecosystems and are established to meet human demands.